Aulani on a budget...

[mevelandry]

I just noticed that Honolulu Airport is about 25 minutes from 'Oahu.

In your opinion, for 4 people, is it better to book a shuttle or just take a cab? Which option is cheaper?

 

[happymommy]

It is a bit longer than that. I'd do a cab though. Shuttle may charge per person.

You could also look into Uber or Lyft.

Either way, don't miss a lunch at Sushi Bay if you like sushi, it's in Kapolei. OMG the best, cheapest, best sushi. We end up there literally every other day. We're addicted. They open at I think 10 or 11. There is always a line. No worries. Get an Uber or taxi. GO! Also go to flea market! Best deals ever, but go early! I'm sure you can find Uber or taxi.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

Securing the reservation is pretty safe and easy, but Unfortunately there is no leeway in cancelling a DVC rental reservation. Under the FAQ on the website, they do have a link to purchase travel insurance, I'm just not sure how comprehensive it is.

DVC rentals are definitely better suited for those who can plan ahead of time without making a lot of changes/cancellations.

Regarding cancellations- the DVC Rental Store has a 'cancel for any reason' policy. It's $1.75 per point (with a $125 minimum). If you cancel 46+ days before your reservation, you would receive full funds minus $2 per point. I've used DVC rental store twice and I've purchased the protection plan both times. Good news for me because I had to cancel my trip so instead of being out the full payment, I only lost about $200.

I wrote a couple blog posts about Aulani. One is an adults-only guide and one is a guide to dining. If you are interested, you can find them at expeditioneddy(dot)com. Scroll down to the bottom of the home page and they're there

 

[dolewhipdreams]

I just noticed that Honolulu Airport is about 25 minutes from 'Oahu.

In your opinion, for 4 people, is it better to book a shuttle or just take a cab? Which option is cheaper?

It depends on how much luggage you take. Cabs can usually fit four people but minus the luggage. If you each have a full size suitcase then you might need to upgrade to a larger cab, which could border on being the same price as a shuttle.

 

[mevelandry]

It depends on how much luggage you take. Cabs can usually fit four people but minus the luggage. If you each have a full size suitcase then you might need to upgrade to a larger cab, which could border on being the same price as a shuttle.

We usually travel with carry-ons only. We are light packers.

 

[mevelandry]

In your opinion, how much would be needed as a deposit for a 5 nights stay and how long in advance can we book?

 

[dolewhipdreams]

In your opinion, how much would be needed as a deposit for a 5 nights stay and how long in advance can we book?

If you rent DVC points you can (and should) book 11 months out. As far as a deposit, the DVC rental store takes $11 per point. You can use their tool to input your dates to see how many points you trip would take and calculate the deposit.

I do not know what the policy is for deposits direct with Aulani.

 

[cgattis]

As beautiful as Aulani is, you really do want to see some of Oahu too. If you arent going to have a car, several DIS'ers have booked tours (both through and not through Aulani) to take them to places around the island. The part between Aulani and the airport is definitely not the most scenic part. I highly recommend getting out some.

 

[mevelandry]

If you rent DVC points you can (and should) book 11 months out. As far as a deposit, the DVC rental store takes $11 per point. You can use their tool to input your dates to see how many points you trip would take and calculate the deposit.

I do not know what the policy is for deposits direct with Aulani.

Thanks!

I think I will inquire to Aulani.

 

[mevelandry]

As beautiful as Aulani is, you really do want to see some of Oahu too. If you arent going to have a car, several DIS'ers have booked tours (both through and not through Aulani) to take them to places around the island. The part between Aulani and the airport is definitely not the most scenic part. I highly recommend getting out some.

It's definitely part of the plan. We already decided to go on the Dolphin in the wild Watch too.

 

[nkereina]

Have you settled on a time of year to go? If not, we loved September. We were in Hawaii for 16 days and didn't see rain once. It was also a quiet time of year with school back in session. Worked out great for us.

If you decide to go with renting DVC points, most brokers will require full payment at time of booking. There may be a broker out there that doesn't but I don't know who. If you find an owner yourself, which I would not recommend for a first time point renter, you can usually work out a deal for 50% down and 50% closer to your travel dates.

Will one of you have a license before you travel? Having a rental car will allow you to see much of the island at a fraction of the price that organized tours would cost. You'd also get free parking staying on rented DVC points. And it would allow you to stop at a grocery store and get inexpensive snacks, drinks, and stuff for meals which will help save on your food budget.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

I would never recommend driving on Oahu to the unseasoned driver, especially not a newly licensed one.
OP, I recommend staying somewhere other than Aulani if you want to experience Hawaii and not the Disney version of it.
Aulani is not well-situated for someone who wants to see the rest of the island.
I suggest staying somewhere in the Waikiki area to experience the touristy stuff that is all within walking distance and where you will find competitive pricing for tours and other excursions that require pickups at your hotel.

 

[nkereina]

I would never recommend driving on Oahu to the unseasoned driver, especially not a newly licensed one.

Aside from the highways and high traffic area of Honolulu/Waikiki, we actually find the driving to be relatively easy. I don't think we know if the OP and travel partners would be newly licensed or if maybe one is an experienced driver that hasn't renewed their license for some reason.

I suggest staying somewhere in the Waikiki area to experience the touristy stuff that is all within walking distance and where you will find competitive pricing for tours and other excursions that require pickups at your hotel.

This is a good suggestion. We stayed a few nights in Waikiki as well and while its a completely different vibe, everything was very convenient and walkable. There were tons of organized tours at our disposal for affordable prices. We did a Pearl Harbor tour and a Diamond Head tour which picked us up and dropped us off at our Waikiki hotel.

 

[mevelandry]

Have you settled on a time of year to go? If not, we loved September. We were in Hawaii for 16 days and didn't see rain once. It was also a quiet time of year with school back in session. Worked out great for us.

If you decide to go with renting DVC points, most brokers will require full payment at time of booking. There may be a broker out there that doesn't but I don't know who. If you find an owner yourself, which I would not recommend for a first time point renter, you can usually work out a deal for 50% down and 50% closer to your travel dates.

Will one of you have a license before you travel? Having a rental car will allow you to see much of the island at a fraction of the price that organized tours would cost. You'd also get free parking staying on rented DVC points. And it would allow you to stop at a grocery store and get inexpensive snacks, drinks, and stuff for meals which will help save on your food budget.

We are thinking April or September but most likely April.

Like I said earlier in the conversation, I am not convinced we'll rent points since we need to be able to cancel easily (travelling with seniors, etc.) ...

I am thinking of getting my driver's license back although I've never been a fan of driving in places I didn't know in the past. We'll see.

 

[mevelandry]

I would never recommend driving on Oahu to the unseasoned driver, especially not a newly licensed one.
OP, I recommend staying somewhere other than Aulani if you want to experience Hawaii and not the Disney version of it.
Aulani is not well-situated for someone who wants to see the rest of the island.
I suggest staying somewhere in the Waikiki area to experience the touristy stuff that is all within walking distance and where you will find competitive pricing for tours and other excursions that require pickups at your hotel.

I was a driver for 12 years before I stopped the renewal of my license... but I have not been driving for the past 10 years. Oops. :/

I'm not saying no, nor saying we won't opt for a split stay including Aulani but so far, I'm a bit more interested in Oahu than Waikiki (although Diamond Head looks nice). Let's not forget we are travelling with seniors... But we'll see.

 

[cgattis]

I was a driver for 12 years before I stopped the renewal of my license... but I have not been driving for the past 10 years. Oops. :/

I'm not saying no, nor saying we won't opt for a split stay including Aulani but so far, I'm a bit more interested in Oahu than Waikiki (although Diamond Head looks nice). Let's not forget we are travelling with seniors... But we'll see.

If money wasn't an issue, I'd never stay in Waikiki again. If you're not hiking Diamond Head with your seniors, I don't consider seeing it a must-do.

And I've driven everywhere from ultra-rural to crazy cities, and Oahu is way down on the list of difficultly IMO. If you hit rush hour, it'll be annoying, but I wouldn't call it challenging in the least.

 

[mevelandry]

If money wasn't an issue, I'd never stay in Waikiki again. If you're not hiking Diamond Head with your seniors, I don't consider seeing it a must-do.

And I've driven everywhere from ultra-rural to crazy cities, and Oahu is way down on the list of difficultly IMO. If you hit rush hour, it'll be annoying, but I wouldn't call it challenging in the least.

Why wouldn't you stay in Waikiki?

My FIL has problem with his knees so no hiking for us.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

We live in Montreal, Canada. We are travelling with seniors and we cannot be absent from work for more than 1 week at the time unfortunately. The 5 nights will be at Aulani. We will most likely add 1 night at the beginning of the trip and 1 night at the end of the trip in airport hotels in order to facilitate the transition for my FIL and MIL.

Regarding cars: none of us have a driver's license (Montreal's public transportation system is that good!). So car rental is not an option right now... BUT, I am currently looking to see if I could get one at some point so who knows.

Due to the 6 hour time change difference between Montreal and Hawaii, and taking into consideration that your travel will probably be at least 16 hours with the connections, you really should reconsider only going for one week. You said you want to enjoy the trip, and IMO you will need a couple of days to recover from travel and get used to the new time zone once you get there. If this is a once in a lifetime experience, for the amount of money and time you will spend just to get there, finding a way to add extra days to your vacation would be well worth it, IMO.

 

[mevelandry]

Due to the 6 hour time change difference between Montreal and Hawaii, and taking into consideration that your travel will probably be at least 16 hours with the connections, you really should reconsider only going for one week. You said you want to enjoy the trip, and IMO you will need a couple of days to recover from travel and get used to the new time zone once you get there. If this is a once in a lifetime experience, for the amount of money and time you will spend just to get there, finding a way to add extra days to your vacation would be well worth it, IMO.

Most people I know who went there told me that the adjustment to the time zone hit them harder when they came back?

Maybe my explanation at the beginning wasn't clear but we are considering adding a night at a honolulu airport hotel before --unless we decide to experience Waikiki--, then 5 nights at Aulani + maybe a night in Vancouver on our way back as it's my MIL's dream to visit Stanley Park because her father used to go all the time and she never got the chance to visit herself), which might help with jet lag?

 

[mevelandry]

Is there a shuttle we can book between Waikiki and Aulani? Because this might have an impact on our decision.